Storage structures for storing spare tires in the rear part of a vehicle body are known in the art, the structure disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2006-341642 (JP-A 2006-341642) being one example thereof.
The storage structure comprises an undercover located at a predetermined distance underneath a rear floor, and a tire storage space for storing a spare tire is formed by the rear floor and the undercover. An opening for accessing the spare tire is formed in the undercover. A winch is provided to the rear floor above the opening. The spare tire is suspended by a tire holder provided to the bottom end of a chain of the winch. The spare tire is stored in the tire storage space via the opening while in a state of being suspended by the chain and the tire holder. The bottom part of the tire holder is provided with a closing panel for closing off the opening.
Thus, according to the storage structure described above, the spare tire is held in the tire holder, and winding the chain of the winch raises the tire holder and closing panel. The closing panel rises and thereby closes the opening, whereby the spare tire is stored in the tire storage container.
The tire holder and the closing panel are lowered by unwinding the chain of the winch, and the spare tire in the tire storage space can be taken out from below the undercover (i.e. out of the vehicle) through the opening. Taking the spare tire out of the vehicle makes it possible to perform the task of replacing the spare tire.
However, to store and remove the spare tire in the spare tire storage structure disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2006-341642, the winch must be wound and unwound, and the entire spare tire must be raised and lowered. Thus, when an attempt is made to raise or lower the entire spare tire, a large force is needed for the operation of winding or unwinding the chain, and the operations of storing and removing the spare tire are time-consuming.